Dental floss holder



T. A. BAILEY, DENTAL FLOSS HOLDER,

APPUCATION FILED IULYZB. l-9Zl.

1,415,765. Patented May 9, 1922.

Tfl Hal 6/ INVENTOR.

M v ATT0RNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE A. BAILEY, OF ORLANDO, FLORIDA.

DENTAL FLOSS HOLDER.

Application filed July 28,

To all 107mm it vim-y concern:

Be it known that I, 'liinononn A. BAILEY, a citizen of the United. States, residing: at Orlando, in the countyot Orange and State of lllorida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Dental Floss Holder, oil. which the following is a specification- This invention relates to dental appliances. and more particularly to dental floss holders.

The object oi. the invention to provide a simple and cilicient implement for holding a piece oi, dental floss taut during its reciprocation between the teeth for cleaning, medicating or other purposes.

Another object is to provide an implement of this character composed of a single piece of spring; wire bent to the designed conlielr ration, and includingspaced thread receiving jaws, equipped with clalnps for holding the floss.

\l ith these and other obiects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features oi. construction as hereinafter shown, described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

F i gi'lre 1 represents a side elevation of the implement constituting this invention with a piece of floss shown in operative position therein, the dotted line position showing the position the pa rts assume when the is rendered taut by grasping: the handle memher of the implement; and

Fig.1". 2 is a plan or end view thereof.

In the embodiment illustrated the implement 1. constituting; this invention is composed oi a single piece oi spring; wire, bent intermediate its ends to form a loop .2, which constitutes the hand grip. or handle oi. the iin 'ilement, said loop being: here shown ovate in. form with the smaller end arranged at the trout. and the wireextended substantially at right angles from. said end in parallel rela tion. as shown. at 3 and 4n, the wire 4: being twisted around the wire 3, as shown at 5, said. twisted portion forming a guide loop through which the wire 3 loosely passes. After the twist 5 is formed in the wire 4;, said wire is extended laterally at right angles and the terminal thereot folded inwardly in close contact with the body portion, forming a j aw 6, having a floss clamping element 7.

The wire 3, below the guide 5, has a slight forward offset 8 to form a stop for limiting Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1922.

1921. Serial No. 488,112.

the outward movement of the eye 5 on. the wire 3. In advance of the o'l'lset 8, the wire is extended and. curved as shown at 9, and

a plane substanthen extended iorwiu'dly in A tially parallel. with the jaw 6, forming a jaw 10 For cooperation with the jaw 6, said jaw 10 having its end bent ii'iwardly in contact therewith to form a clamp 11. for rsecui'iing one end of the floss, shown at F.

In the use of this implement. the piece of floss F is cut the desired length and the ends thereof are inserted in the clamps T and 11 and securely held thereby. lVhen the loop shaped. member 2 is grasped by the hand of the user and the sides thereol pressed toward each other, the eye 5 will slide upwardly on the wire 3, thereby moving the jaw 6 away from the jaw 10, and stretching the lloss F, securing it in taut relation between the jaws so that it may be easily inserted and reciprocated between the teeth.

From the above (lBSCllPtlOD, it will be oh vious. that the implement constructi-id as herein shown and described may be very cheaply manufactured and may be nickel plated, or finished in any. desired manner, and yet will be very useful, especial y when medicated floss is to be used between, the teeth.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the drawings and set forth in the specification, but it will. be understood that any modifications within the scope of the claimed invention may be made in the construction. without departing from the princi ile of the invention or sacrificing-,3 any of its advantages.

that I claim is:

An implement of the class described composed oi? a. single piece oi spriin wire bent intermediate its ends to term a substantially ovate loop. wire arms exteildino; from. the smaller end of said. loop in pa allel relation and substantially at right angles to the loop, one of said arms being}; twisted arouiuil the other to form a guide therefor and then extended laterally in a plane at right angles to the arm around which it is twisted, the upper arm being extended laterally, the terminals of said arms bent inwarilly to 'lorn thread clamping elements.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature hereto.

THEODORE A. BAILEY. 

